Yagawa-san! Myojin-san: "Yagawa Shrine," revered by Koga ninja and home to the consort of Emperor Ojin [Koga Series]
A prestigious shrine revered by Koga ninja and said to be where the wife of Emperor Ojin was sent from. It is known by various names, including Yagawa-no-miya, Hiyoshi Sanno Yagawa Daimyojin, Soma Ichinomiya Yagawa Daimyojin, Koga-no-miya, and Koga-no-Amamiya.
Change History
2025/04/23: First edition
▼HP▼Access▼Deities/Main Image and Attendants
Official Website:
Access: 310 Morijiri, Konan-cho, Koka City, Shiga Prefecture 520-3324
(70 Morijiri, Konan-cho, Koka City, Shiga Prefecture)-
Deities: Okuninushi, also known as "Onamuchi-no-Mikoto," and "Yagawa-ehime-no-Mikoto" are the main deities.
Onamuchi-no-Mikoto is the god of industrial development and health and longevity.
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Yagawa-ehime-no-Mikoto is the goddess of artistic proficiency and fulfillment of wishes.
Also written as Miyanushi Yagawa-ehime or Yagawa-ehime, she is the Empress of Emperor Ojin (from the Emperor Ojin section of the Kojiki).
Also written as Yagawa-ehime, she is said to be another name for Ashinadaka-no-Kami, the wife of Kunioshitomi-no-Kami, a descendant of Okuninushi of Izumo.
In any case, it is rare nationwide for a shrine to have Yagawa-ehime-no-Mikoto as a main deity.
Originally a shrine dedicated to Yagawa-ehime, it seems Onamuchi-no-Mikoto was added as a main deity later.
▼Highlights
→History
Founded during the construction of the Shigaraki Palace by Emperor Shomu.
It is said to have begun in 762 when it was enshrined as the guardian deity of Koga Soma and Yagawa-tsu.
In 972, during the Heian period, it was listed at the top of the eight shrines of Koka District in the Engishiki.
In 978, it attained the status of the top of the eight shrines of Koka District.
Historical documents from 1337 refer to it as "Soma-no-Gawa-no-Miya," suggesting it was the general shrine for the Ikehara Soma Manor.
It became a center of faith, counted among the three Soma Daimyojin shrines (Hiyoshi Shrine, Yagawa Shrine, and Shingu Shrine).
In 1472, as it was also a water deity governing the Somagawa river system, rain-praying rituals were frequently held. Because it brought blessed rain to the surrounding area, the Romon gate was donated.
In 1585, after the fall of the Koka-shu during the Koka disturbance, the nature of the rituals changed.
In the late 1500s, many shrine buildings were burned down by war, but they were revived in the Edo period as a shrine revered by the lords of the Minakuchi Domain.
In 1652, nine of the parish villages became parishioners of Shingu Shrine (Shinji, Konan-cho) and six became parishioners of Hiyoshi Shrine (Sandaiji, Minakuchi-cho), while seven villages (Morijiri, Fukagawa, Hienuki, Kuzuragi, Terasho, Sugitani, and Shiono) were designated as the main parishioners (Yagawa Hongo, Yagawa 7 villages), and the other 15 villages were called outer parishioners.
During the Edo period, it was considered a shrine revered by the Minakuchi Domain.
In 1842, the 'Koka Disturbance' (Tenpo Uprising), where tens of thousands of farmers gathered at the shrine entrance to protest the shogunate's land survey, began here.
Before the Meiji era, it was called Yagawa Daimyojin and was a local guardian shrine with a wide parish area.
It was a shrine that possessed a Jinguji temple and Yagawa-ji Seijoin temple.
Since the character for 'Ya' in Yagawa is composed of 'Ten' (heaven) and 'No', it is associated with the Milky Way (Amanogawa), and so the 'Tanabata Festival' is held on July 7th.
→ To the precincts (drum bridge, etc.)
→ Romon Gate
The Romon gate, a three-bay, one-door gate built in the Muromachi period, is said to have been donated by farmers as a return for the fulfillment of a bumper crop after they received an oracle at Isonokami Shrine (my NOTE) and prayed for rain at Yagawa Shrine; this seems to be the origin of the Koka Amamiya.
→ Shinmon Gate (Zuishinmon Gate)
→ Haiden (Oratory) and Honden (Main Hall)
The Haiden was rebuilt in 1978.
The main deity is 'Onamuchi-no-Mikoto,' another name for Okuninushi, with 'Yagawa-eda-hime-no-Mikoto' as the enshrined deity.
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The current Honden was built in 1756 with donated funds.
I think the architecture of the Honden is wonderful.
It seems it was thatched with cypress bark until the Showa era renovation.
The shrine building is decorated with wonderful carvings.
They were made by the carpenter Tajima Takagi, a master craftsman who served as the head builder for the National Treasure Nyorai-do at Senju-ji Temple in Tsu City, Mie Prefecture, and the Important Cultural Property Hondo at Kozeiji Temple in Higashiomi City, Shiga Prefecture.
→ Mikoshi Storehouse
→ A heron, while making you think it's a stork?
▽ Tanabata Festival / Koka Tezutsu Fireworks
▼ Media Information
Anything after this will be added in the comment section below this NOTE.
▼ Travelogue
The once-in-33-years unveiling! And 🌸Cherry Blossoms in Shiga and Kyoto🌸 The finale is Ninna-ji Temple ◆ Shiga Kosei 14, Shiga Koka 7, Kyoto Ukyo 16 ◆ | Yanmaa @ Travelogue
Travelogue of Shiga and Koka
▼ Places to visit together
▼ Buddhist Statue Exhibition
→ MIHO MUSEUM "Shigaraki Palace and Koka Shinto and Buddhist Deities"
Male and female deity seated statues were exhibited. It is thought to be a shrine related to the Imperial family near Shigaraki Palace. Or perhaps it was guarding the four sides of Shigaraki Palace.
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